An event that changed Canada’s
policy on refugees forever.
 In
1976 Satnam Singh, a
refugee came from India to
Canada but his case was
rejected under Canada’s
Immigration Act.
 At that time there was no way
to appeal the decision.
 However, Singh
and a group of lawyers
took his case to the Supreme Court, who
ruled that his rights protected by the
Charter were being violated.
 Section
7 of the Charter (Fundamental
Freedoms):
“Everyone has the right to life, liberty and
security of the person, and has the right
not to be deprived thereof except in
accordance with the principles of
fundamental justice.”
 The
Supreme Court ruled that Singh’s
right of security would be violated if he
was not allowed to appeal the decision
because he would be forced to return to
a place where he was unsafe.
 This
was an important ruling because it
meant that fundamental freedoms apply
to EVERYONE in Canada, even if they
aren’t citizens (anyone physically present
in Canada).
 Because
of the Singh Decision:
1.) People who come to Canada as refugees
have the right to hearing they attend.
2.) The immigration and Refugee Board was
established to provide hearings.
3.) The govt must provide refugees with the
necessities of life while they wait for a
hearing
 Every
April 4th in Canada is known as
Refugee Rights Day because of the Singh
Decision.
 The
Singh Decision was an important
case in determining how Immigration
Policies and Individual Rights
protected in the Charter relate to one
another.
 It established that most rights have to
be protected, even for people who are
not yet citizens.
 Textbook
Page 182
 What
is your opinion on the Singh
Decision and immigrants being
protected under Canada’s Charter?